警 meaning and stroke order
To guard, to watch; alarm, alert
How to write 警, stroke by stroke
19 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 警
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to alert
- to warn
- police
How 警 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
言 gives the meaning and 敬 hints at the sound.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 警
警 is 敬 (jìng, respect) sitting on top of 言 (speech). The 言 part means it has to do with words, and 敬 gives the sound. Picture a police officer giving you a spoken warning that you had better respect.
警 rarely stands alone and usually appears in words about police and warnings, such as 警察 (jǐngchá), 警告 (jǐnggào) and 报警 (bàojǐng). In casual speech, short forms like 交警 (jiāojǐng, traffic police) and 民警 (mínjǐng) are very common. Example: 快报警。(Kuài bàojǐng.) Call the police, quick.
Common mistake: Learners often write 敬 (jìng, respect) or 惊 (jīng, startled) when they mean 警. Remember that only 警 has 言 underneath. Also watch the tone: 警 is third tone jǐng, while 敬 is fourth tone jìng.
Common words with 警
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 警察 | jǐngchá | police; police officer | HSK 3 |
| 交警 | jiāojǐng | traffic police (abbr. for 交通警察[jiao1 tong1 jing3 cha2]) | HSK 3 |
| 警告 | jǐnggào | to warn; to admonish | HSK 5 |
| 报警 | bàojǐng | to sound an alarm; to report sth to the police | HSK 5 |
| 民警 | mínjǐng | civil police; PRC police | HSK 6 |
| 警官 | jǐngguān | constable; police officer | HSK 7-9 |
| 警车 | jǐngchē | police car | HSK 7-9 |
| 警惕 | jǐngtì | to be on the alert; vigilant | HSK 7-9 |
| 警钟 | jǐngzhōng | alarm bell | HSK 7-9 |
| 警方 | jǐngfāng | police | |
| 警探 | jǐngtàn | police detective | |
| 警局 | jǐngjú | police department; police station | |
| 警察局 | jǐngchájú | police station; police department | |
| 警卫 | jǐngwèi | to stand guard over; (security) guard |
警 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 警
How many strokes are in 警?
警 is written with 19 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 警 mean?
警 (jǐng) means to guard, to watch; alarm, alert. A common word with it is 警察 (jǐngchá), meaning "police; police officer".
How do you pronounce 警?
警 is pronounced jǐng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 警?
The radical of 警 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 警 under this radical.
Is 警 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 警 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
How do I say "call the police" in Chinese?
Say 报警 (bàojǐng), for example 我要报警 (wǒ yào bàojǐng), I want to call the police. In mainland China the police number is 110, so people also say 打110 (dǎ yāo yāo líng).
What is the difference between 警告 and 提醒?
警告 (jǐnggào) is a serious warning, often about danger or consequences, and can sound stern. 提醒 (tíxǐng) is a gentle reminder, like reminding a friend to bring an umbrella.